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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24814777">Switching Teams</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/GenKay/pseuds/GenKay'>GenKay</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Cobra Kai (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bromance, Coming of Age, Fix-It of Sorts, Future Fic, Gen, Growing Up, Jealousy, Rival Relationship, Rivalry</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 02:27:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,901</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24814777</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/GenKay/pseuds/GenKay</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It was always going to be this way. The two of them competing against each-other. People would just have to get used to it.</p><p>Robby-Miguel centric. Dual pov. Future-fic.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>49</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostmagician/gifts">lostmagician</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They didn’t like each-other. They didn’t have to like each-other. And they never would like each-other, no matter what was happening around them. But they didn’t have to like each-other. All they had to do was tolerate each-other on the rare occasions they were forced to spend time together. They could do that. After everything, that was the least they could do.</p><p>Atleast, they had good reasons not to like each-other.</p><p>
  <em>You are his real son, Robby. Nothing is ever going to change that. What I have with him is always going to be a mere reflection of what he feels for you. You’ll always come first for him and I’ll never forgive you for that. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>You are the son he chose, Miguel. I’m just the one he is stuck with. Whatever he feels for me is just out of obligation. It doesn’t even come close to what you two have and I’ll never forgive you for that. </em>
</p><p>Ofcourse it started with Johnny – that jealousy, that resentment, that competition. It started with each trying to prove he could be the better son and soon became about who was just better.</p><p>“Some people aren’t smart enough to get into college.” Miguel said snidely. “And that’s okay.”</p><p>“Some people aren’t smart enough to avoid the system.” Robby said condescendingly. “But, the world needs cogs in the wheels.”</p><p>“Some people don’t understand that without the right college degree, all you can hope for is a blue-collar job.”</p><p>*<em>cough</em>* “Bill Gates.” *<em>cough</em>* “Zuckerberg” *<em>cough</em>*</p><p>“That’s enough, you two.” Johnny said, annoyed.</p><p>
  <em>Just you wait, Keene. I’ll show you. I’ll be earning the big bucks working for Google and while you’ll be stuck as my mechanic. Think Sensei would be proud of you then?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Just you wait, Diaz. You’ll see. I’ll be running my own business while you’ll be hunting for jobs like all the other dumb millennials. Think Dad would think much of you then?</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>Like wildfire, this rivalry spread everywhere. To all corners of their life.</p><p>
  <em>Why are you sucking up to Mr. LaRusso, Diaz? You already have a mom who is great, my dad is more of a dad to you and now you are coming for my teacher? Can’t you just let me have one thing?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Why are you getting so chummy with my mom, Keene? You already have like two dads obsessing over you every day. Can you let me keep my mom atleast?</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>And then there was Sam – even though neither of them was with her.</p><p>“Oh, Miguel’s such a great boyfriend.” Annie said, kissing him. “So romantic all the time. He’s always buying me flowers and candy and taking me on dates. Was he like that with you?”</p><p>
  <em>See Sam? You could’ve had this. I could’ve been an awesome boyfriend to you. If only you hadn’t fallen for that asshole. </em>
</p><p>“Oh, Robby’s just the greatest boyfriend ever.” Sarah said, holding his hand. “So kind and attentive. It’s all in the little things, you know. Coffee in the morning. A ride whenever I need one. Takeout from my favorite place without even asking. But look who I’m talking to?”</p><p>
  <em>See Sam? That could’ve been you. The one getting showered with all my love and affection. If only you could’ve gotten over that asshole. </em>
</p><p>But Sam just rolled her eyes. “I’d rather be alone than with someone that annoying.”</p><p> </p><p>And ofcourse, there was karate. That one they both wished they could settle for once and for all. Atleast that would be one thing that they could agree on.</p><p>
  <em>You are stronger than me, Keene. You fought in the tournament with a busted arm and still almost beat me. I only got you at school because I was in your head – about Sensei, about Sam. I’m not sure if I could’ve beaten you in a fair fight.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Why are you so strong Diaz? Why couldn’t I beat you fair and square at school? If only I could’ve become stronger than you, none of this would’ve happened. </em>
</p><p>It didn’t matter now because Miguel knew he’d never be as good as he was before, let alone as good as he could’ve been. The pins in his back, the scar tissue buildup on his spine, it’d always prevent him from moving exactly as he’d need to to beat Robby. Robby had taken away any chance Miguel could’ve had of beating him.</p><p>It didn’t matter now because Robby knew he’d never be able to go all out against Miguel again. His fear of what he had almost done, his guilt for what he’d actually done – they’d always hold him back. He’d never be able to fight Miguel for real ever again. Robby had been the one left standing, but Miguel had won their last and final bout. Couldn’t he have just broken his arm instead?</p><p>One last fight. They both wanted it, despite all the fear and guilt holding them back. One last fight to settle it once and for all.</p><p>“Fighting never settles anything.” Johnny scoffed. “Look at me and LaRusso – we thought we could settle things at the All-Valley when we were kids and then we were back again, doing the same shit thirty years later.”</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>You’d think that things would get better once they both graduated. But that was not to be. Life kept giving them new reasons to resent each-other even with the little time they spent together.</p><p> </p><p>“Robby is practically running the place now.” Mr. LaRusso said, swelled up with pride. “You know, neither of my kids is actually interested in taking over the business. Sam wants to be a lawyer and Anthony… well, I don’t know what he wants but he is pretty sure that selling cars is not it. I’m actually thinking about leaving it all to Robby.”</p><p>Miguel seethed with jealousy upon listening to that. How was that fair? The guy just had a rich benefactor walk into his life and set his future up right away. Miguel had to work hard for everything and he still didn’t know what life had in store for him. Why did Robby get to have a secure future while Miguel’s was dark and uncertain?</p><p> </p><p>“He’s doing so well.” Carmen said, beaming. “He has got a great GPA and he has three internship offers already. He still hasn’t decided his major but he’s gonna have his pick of them. I’m sure he’ll be great at whatever he chooses.”</p><p>Robby somehow avoided turning green with envy. Some guys were just born lucky, right? Born with all the skills? Miguel was smart and athletic. And his mom had made sure that he’d have all the opportunities to make good on all his gifts. Robby had to work his ass off for everything he got and he still couldn’t hope to be much. Some kind of middle-manager at LaRusso Auto was the best life would have in store for him. Was that really fair? Miguel got to have a future full of exciting possibilities while Robby’s own was bleak and desolate.</p><p>There was too much baggage here. Too many reasons not to like each-other. No matter what else was going on around them, that wasn’t going to change. And everyone accepted that. Found a way to be okay with it. As long as this war stayed cold things would be okay.</p><p> </p><p>So when exactly did they start changing? Did they actually change or was that just an illusion? After all, all the reasons they had not to like each-other never really went away.</p><p> </p><p>Miguel wasn’t actually talking about Robby that day. He didn’t actually care about that loser. He usually enjoyed it when Sensei told Robby about how well Miguel was doing in college. But recently, the pressure had been getting to him. These people didn’t get what it was like – juggling a thousand courses, worrying about the future and trying to have a social life at the same time. Miguel felt pulled taut in all directions and he finally snapped.</p><p>“Would you just leave him alone?” He told Johnny. “He made the smart choice, not going to college. He’s already doing what’s gonna take me four more years.”</p><p> </p><p>Robby hadn’t actually meant to be nice about it. He had no reason to be nice to that jackass. But he was in a good mood today. Mr. LaRusso had just offered him a raise and a new title and he figured he could afford to be a little generous. But he certainly hadn’t meant for Miguel to overhear them.</p><p>“So his grades slipped a little. Big deal.” He said to Carmen as he helped her with dinner.  “Let him have a bit of a life. You don’t want him burning out at this age.”</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Miguel would win at this. At relationships. Sure Robby and Debbie had been together longer, but that was just because she was older and Robby already had a stable job. Their relationship would grow old and boring while Miguel and Maxine (Migxine? Maguel?) would stay in their romantic phase forever. He’d brought her over to meet Johnny and Carmen for their three-month anniversary and he just saw how it was killing Robby. The guy was cranky all night.</p><p>Well, Miguel was gracious enough of a winner not to rub his face in it. Not too much, atleast.</p><p> </p><p>He found Robby in the parking lot later that night, after he dropped Maxine home, smoking a joint. He’d always known Robby was a stoner – it went with his whole Zen-Miyagi vibe, but this was the first time he was actually seeing it. He wondered if he should tell Sensei before Robby offered him the blunt.</p><p>“No thanks.” Miguel said. “I never touch the stuff.”</p><p>Robby shrugged and went back to smoking.</p><p>Miguel sniffed the air. There was something familiar about the scent here.</p><p>“Where do I know that smell from?” He asked. “Did you ever get high at my house?” Mom would kill him if she found out.</p><p>“No – that would be your grandma.” Robby said, nonchalantly.</p><p>“Right… This smells just like the incense she burns.” Miguel said, pleased at having solved the mystery.</p><p><em>Wait a minute… </em>Robby was smirking up at him.</p><p>“Yaya doesn’t smoke weed.” Miguel said, indignantly.</p><p>“Then she must be a dealer with how much she buys.” Robby returned.</p><p>“How would you know what she buys?” Miguel asked.</p><p>“Who do you think hooks her up?” Robby grinned.</p><p>Miguel’s head was swimming. <em>Yaya is a stoner?</em> He needed a drink. Or… Robby offered him the joint again and this time, Miguel took it. The first drag just made him cough the smoke out, which, ofcourse, Robby laughed at. The second went in easier and he had the hang of it by the fifth. They sat there together, not talking, getting hazier by the second.</p><p>“So, Maxine’s awesome, right?” Miguel couldn’t help rubbing it in a little.</p><p>“Sure.” Robby said, all trace of humor gone from his voice.</p><p>“Dude, what’s up with you today?” Miguel asked, annoyed. “You’ve had a bug up your ass all day.”</p><p>Robby sighed. “Debbie broke up with me. Three days ago. I haven’t told anyone yet.”</p><p>“Oh…” Suddenly Miguel felt like the ass. Robby would normally never confide this in him. Maybe it was the weed talking.</p><p>“She said I was too needy.” Robby said, with a hurt look on his face.</p><p>Miguel couldn’t help but laugh at that. And he must have been high because the laughter went on way longer than he’d intended. It went on despite the confused, heartbroken look on Robby’s face.</p><p>“I’m sorry, but you? Needy?” Miguel said between bursts. “You are like the most Zen guy I know. ‘Wanna spend time together? Sure’. ‘Too busy tonight? Whatever. That’s cool’. It’s like – I can’t imagine you being all desperate and needy.”</p><p>Robby was looking at him with wide eyes. “I know, right?” He said indignantly. “I’m chill. I let things go. I’m not needy.”</p><p>Miguel smiled, faded. “You got another one of those?” He asked, throwing away the burnt out end.</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Robby didn’t know what to make of last week. Sure, Miguel had been a gracious winner, but Robby had still lost, right? Miguel had still proven to be better at relationships. An evening sharing a joint wasn’t actually going to change that. Miguel would be sure to rub his face in it the next time they were together. And hopefully, Robby would have a new girlfriend by then.</p><p> </p><p>Or maybe it’d just be tonight. What the hell was Miguel doing at his apartment?</p><p>“I got beer.” Miguel said sullenly, holding up a six-pack.</p><p>
  <em>Why the hell not?</em>
</p><p>“Come in then.”</p><p>They didn’t actually speak until their first can was half-empty. Robby was curious why Miguel was there, but he didn’t want to risk chasing him away with his beers.</p><p>“I’m too clingy.” Miguel muttered.</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>“Max said I was too clingy. Didn’t give her enough space.” Miguel explained. “That’s why she dumped me.”</p><p>Robby suppressed a smile. He could be gracious too. “I’m sorry, man.”</p><p>“You are supposed to say I’m not clingy.” Miguel said, annoyed. “That’s what I did for you.”</p><p>“Well…” Robby said, awkwardly. “Sam told me about the 36 texts and 11 missed calls the day you broke up.”</p><p>“That was different.” Miguel huffed. “I was a kid back then.”</p><p>“Okay. So how many unanswered texts this time?” Robby asked, smiling.</p><p>Miguel closed his eyes, embarrassed. “Fifteen.”</p><p>“And missed calls?”</p><p>“Just five.” Miguel said. And then he sighed. “And then three more after she switched her phone off.”</p><p>“Doesn’t sound clingy at all.” Robby couldn’t hold it in anymore.</p><p>“I knew coming here was a bad idea.” Miguel huffed.</p><p>
  <em>Yeah, that one still doesn’t make sense. </em>
</p><p>“Why did you?” Robby asked. “I mean, why didn’t you go to Hawk? Or my dad?”</p><p>“I can’t be around people in happy relationships right now.” Miguel explained. “And since you got your ass dumped last week too…”</p><p>Right. There was some logic there.</p><p>“Okay.” Robby said, nodding.</p><p>“Okay?” Miguel asked.</p><p>“Okay, we can drink beer and bitch about girls for the night.”</p><p>“Sounds perfect.”</p><p>
  <em>And we are definitely calling this one a draw.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Miguel groaned in agony with his head between his legs, fingers pressed into his temples trying to alleviate the pain. <em>This is bad. This is really bad, right? Like life-ruining bad?</em></p><p>It was an accident. Well, not completely. He had meant to get drunk at the party. Just one night of having fun away from the studies. Just one night off. And he had meant to run when the cops showed up. But hitting that officer when he’d grabbed Miguel from behind – that had been a total accident. His body acting on instinct.</p><p>
  <em>He shouldn’t have grabbed me like that – out of nowhere. Anyone would’ve twisted his arm and then kicked him in the face. That’s a basic self-defense move. How is it my fault that he was such a light-weight that he’d get knocked out by that?</em>
</p><p>And now he was in jail, trying not to throw up around all the other drunks.</p><p>And why the hell had he called Robby? It’d made some drunken sense at the time. Mom would’ve freaked out. Sensei would’ve definitely told mom. Yaya couldn't cover for him with this. Hawk would do something dumb that would land him in an even bigger mess. Demetri would tell him to get a lawyer – like he knew one in the first place. Sam would narc on him. LaRussos were a no-go  for the same reason as Sensei. At that time, it’d felt like his only hope of avoiding trouble was Robby.</p><p>That was stupid. He’d realized that right away. To begin with, Robby would probably leave him in the drunk tank for the night. Then he’d tell his mom in the morning. And then the whole city by the next evening.</p><p>But for some reason, Robby had come anyway. Not that that was going to do Miguel any good. He was in too much trouble here to get away with it without an ass-kicking from every adult in his life. Resisting arrest, assaulting a police officer, underage drinking – there was a whole list of charges. No way for them to hide it. And Robby didn’t actually want to help him anyway. He was just standing there, laughing and flirting with the female officer on shift.</p><p>They finally let him out after two hours of him watching Robby enjoying his misery.</p><p>“Let’s go, dumbass.” Robby said to him when the cell opened.</p><p> </p><p>“So how bad is it?” Miguel asked when they were in the car.</p><p>“Don’t worry about it.” Robby said evenly. “I took care of it.”</p><p><em>Huh? </em>“How?”</p><p>“I said don’t worry about it.” Robby repeated. “And if you throw up in my car, I’m gonna make you lick it all up.”</p><p>“It’s my future at stake here.” Miguel insisted. “Ofcourse, I’m gonna worry about it.”</p><p>Robby sighed. “Your future’s fine.” He said. “I convinced them to drop the charges. All you have to do is pay a fine and write a letter of apology to the officer you attacked and say sorry to him in person.”</p><p>
  <em>No jail? No record? Not even community service? He’s shitting me, right?</em>
</p><p>“How the hell did you swing that?” Miguel asked dumbfounded.</p><p>“I’m a sweet-talker.” Robby shrugged. “That’s what I do.”</p><p>“You are not that good.” Miguel replied.</p><p>Robby a deep breath. “It was a bunch of things, okay?” He explained. “Mr. LaRusso donates to the police department and I know a couple of officers who come around checking up on car accidents and stuff. So I name-dropped them. I told the officer you beat-up that he wouldn’t want it on record that he got knocked out by a skinny teenager. I didn’t put it like that, ofcourse, but that was the gist of it. Then I suggested that we could make this right privately. The other officer I was talking to – she is a single mom too. She leaves her kids with a sitter every night. I kinda told her your story – embellished some details – to make it more sympathetic. And I called Sam and told her to pretend to be a lawyer on the phone.” Robby saw the look on Miguel’s face. “Don’t worry, I didn’t tell her it was for you. Just said it was for friend.”</p><p>
  <em>Friend? We are friends now? More to the point… What. The. Hell?</em>
</p><p>“How did you know how to do all that?” Miguel asked, amazed.</p><p>“I don’t know.” Robby shrugged. “I just went with it.”</p><p>
  <em>Just went with it?</em>
</p><p>“How much do I owe you?” Miguel asked.</p><p>“Don’t worry about it.”</p><p>“Dude, c’mon.” Miguel was going to be firm on that. He didn't want to owe anything to his rival. “Between the bribe and the bail and the fine, it must have burned a hole through your pocket.”</p><p>Robby looked at him for a moment and then shrugged. “I’ll send you an itemized bill. When you are sober.”</p><p>Miguel smiled and nodded. Then something else sent a dread through him.</p><p>“Can you not tell my mom? And Sensei?” He asked. “That’d get me into some real shit.”</p><p>
  <em>Ofcourse he is going to. You just showed your weak underbelly to your enemy and he's going to sink his jaws in. </em>
</p><p>“Okay. Not my business anyway.” Robby agreed. “I just don’t get why you didn’t call them in the first place. I mean, why me?”</p><p>Miguel sighed. “I didn’t want a lecture.” He answered. “Figured you’d be the last person to judge me on this. After all the crap you’ve pulled.”</p><p>“Hmm.” Robby shrugged. “But I never pulled anything like this.”</p><p>“What? You never got drunk and did something stupid?” Miguel scoffed.</p><p>“Yeah. That’s right.” Robby replied.</p><p><em>He hadn’t, had he? </em>Miguel realized suddenly. He’d seen Robby drink and he’d seen him get high, but he’d never him drunk or stupid high. Not like Miguel had been that night.</p><p>“How come?” Miguel asked. “I mean, with your past…”</p><p>
  <em>Dude, you sound like an asshole. And after everything the guy just did for you.</em>
</p><p>“Guess I’ve been drinking a lot longer than you. So I figured how to do it right.” Robby explained uncomfortably. “You know my mom’s back in rehab, right? And my dad’s kind of a drunk too? I know you love him, even you can't deny that he drinks a lot. Guess I just didn’t want to end up like them. So I’ve always been careful about this shit.”</p><p>“Oh.” Miguel nodded. “Robby, I’m so- Ughh.”</p><p>He never finished. It hit him out of nowhere and Miguel suddenly spewed his stomach’s contents all over the dashboard.</p><p> </p><p>The car came to a stop on the roadside and Miguel barely had the courage to glance at Robby. He was gripping the steering wheel tight, eyes closed and face scrunched up in anger. Miguel barely got the seatbelt off and the door open before he was hurling some more on the roadside. Robby was standing beside him with a water bottle when he was done.</p><p>“What’s going on with you?” Robby asked. “Your grades are slipping, you are drinking, punching people, getting arrested. People expect that shit from me – not you.”</p><p>“I’m sorry.” Miguel whispered.</p><p>“Whatever.” Robby shrugged. “It’s none of my business.”</p><p>
  <em>Can I tell him the truth? Why not? He has already seen me at my worst. </em>
</p><p>“I’m thinking of dropping out.” Miguel said in a rush. “I think you had the right idea. It’s not worth it.”</p><p>Robby just stood there, staring at him. <em>Say something. Laugh. Say that you win. </em></p><p>“I don’t know.” Robby mused aloud. “Always figured college was right choice for your type.”</p><p>“My type?”</p><p>“Y’know. Smart kids.” Robby elaborated.</p><p>Miguel stared back. <em>Dude, you know you are smart, right? Everything you did tonight, I’d never have thought of it.</em></p><p>“It’s too much pressure, okay?” Miguel explained. “I feel like I’m burning out. I can’t let mom down or yaya or Sensei and I have to be successful. They are all expecting so much from me. They all keep telling me how much potential I have and how great I'll be at everything and how I'll be earning the big bucks in no time. I need to make all the right choices to live up to that - but I don't know what they are anymore. And I don’t know if I can do it. Sometimes it just gets too much.”</p><p>Robby thought about it. “Mr. LaRusso is always telling me that he built a successful business selling cars because he always loved them. So… do you know what you love to do?”</p><p>“I guess.” Miguel considered it. “I’ve always been kind of into graphics and design. Maybe animation.”</p><p>“So focus on that.” Robby suggested. “Figure out what you need to learn for that and then just skate on the rest.”</p><p><em>That’s stupid. </em>“And how am I supposed to maintain my GPA?" <em>Does this guy not think?</em> "My grades will drop.”</p><p>“Let them.” Robby shrugged. “I mean, when was the last time someone asked you your GPA from high-school.”</p><p>
  <em>It couldn’t be that simple, could it? Just focus on what matters and skate on the rest? No, that was anything but simple. It was just the way he put it…</em>
</p><p>“I’ll think about it.” Miguel said, softly and Robby nodded.</p><p>“And I’m sorry about the car.” He said, grimacing.</p><p>“Yeah, I’ll add that to your bill.” Robby smirked. “And my hourly for this therapy session too.”</p><p>Miguel smiled back. <em>Atleast he’s not making me lick it up. </em></p><hr/><p> </p><p> </p><p>This wasn’t going to work. It was going to fail so hard. And why the hell was he asking this asshole for help? Robby looked on nervously as Miguel went through the plan, resisting the urge to chew his fingernails.</p><p>It did have some kind of twisted logic to it. Miguel wanted him to fail, right? So if this passed the test of Miguel, then it probably had a chance. And if anyone was smart enough to rip it apart and end it before Robby made a fool of himself, it was Miguel.</p><p>Usually he’d have gone to Mr. LaRusso or Amanda with this, but he was doing it for them. To prove himself worthy of all the effort and trust they’d put in him. He couldn’t dump all the work on them. Neither Johnny nor Carmen had any skills in this area and there weren’t many other options. Except Sam.</p><p>And Sam was right – even though she’d been of very little help with the actual plan. Miguel was college-smart and his ad-agency did have contacts Robby could use. Maybe he could help. If he wanted to.</p><p>“So? What do you think?” Robby asked nervously as Miguel put the papers down.</p><p>“I think why the hell would you show this shit to me?” Miguel said, incredulously.</p><p>
  <em>Dammit. So it was total shit after all. </em>
</p><p>“I mean, what the hell is this even?” Miguel looked through the papers again.</p><p>“It’s a business plan.” Robby explained. “A plan to expand LaRusso Auto into luxury motorcycles.”</p><p>“Yeah, I can read the title.” Miguel said, waving the documents in his face. “But I can’t make heads or tails of all the crap inside.”</p><p>
  <em>Ofcourse, it’s not gonna work. You are a conman, Robby Keene and a shitty one at that. You've gotten by so far by fooling a bunch of people along the way, but the ride had to end somewhere. You couldn't have done this forever. Sooner or later, someone was going to catch on. </em>
</p><p>He hadn’t even come up with the idea himself. It was something Mr.LaRusso had mentioned offhand as something his cousin Louis had suggested. It had taken root in Robby’s head and he’d comforted himself with the notion that Louis had just been building castles in the air, while Robby would go to Mr. LaRusso with a solid business plan.</p><p>Except, he knew nothing about making a business plan. He’d cobbled together some crap after looking through the internet, but ofcourse it was going to be a shit-show. Any person with half a brain would see right through it.</p><p>“I mean, what even is this stuff? ‘Five-year projections’? ‘Break-even analysis’? ‘Return on Investment’?” Miguel shook his head, disbelieving. “And how am I supposed to know this crap?”</p><p>“What do you mean?” Robby was confused. “You are in college, right? Don’t they teach you this crap?”</p><p>“No!” Miguel replied. “Maybe they teach it somewhere, but I’ve never seen this before. How do you know all this stuff?”</p><p>
  <em>He thinks I actually know?</em>
</p><p>“I don’t. I just pulled it from the internet.” Robby explained. “Didn’t think it’d fool anyone.”</p><p>“Well, it fooled me.” Miguel said, looking at it again. “Why didn’t you just take it to Mr. LaRusso?”</p><p>“I don’t want to go to him with just an idea.” Robby said. “He’ll end up doing all the work. That is if he doesn’t throw it into the trash. I want to go to him with something solid.”</p><p>“Alright.” Miguel nodded. “Just walk me through it – and skip all the jargon, okay. That’s gonna go right over my head.”</p><p>
  <em>Good. I don’t get that crap myself either.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Alright, so Mr. LaRusso’s cousin had this idea that they should sell motorcycles too.” Robby started. “Except his plan was to buy a bunch from bikers and try to sell those.”</p><p>“Bikers?” Miguel interrupted. “Wait, is this the same dumbass who burned Sensei’s car?”</p><p>“I guess. Sounds like him.” Robby shrugged. “Anyway, I don’t think that’s gonna work. We need to do this right. Like, have some contracts with motorcycle companies. I checked and it’s not the same as with cars. They usually have their own showrooms. But if we made some deals, we could pull it off.”</p><p>Miguel nodded, absorbing it all.</p><p>“But we’d need to do a bunch of stuff for that.” Robby continued. “Figure out the advertising. How much we’d need to invest at the start. Locations. A whole lot. That’s where the plan comes in. And I need to make it a good one before I show it to Mr. LaRusso.”</p><p>“Alright. Sounds pretty good.” Miguel said, nodding. “So what the hell do you need me for?”</p><p>“You are the college-boy.” Robby shrugged. “Thought you’d know this shit.”</p><p>“I don’t.” Miguel grimaced, putting the papers down.</p><p>“I also figured you had some contacts through your ad-agency.” Robby said awkwardly. “I know your agency represents Harley-Davidson. So I figured you might have some pull there.”</p><p>Miguel laughed scornfully.</p><p>“Dude, what do you imagine I do?” He said. “I’m a lowly intern in the design department. No way I’d have that kind of access. If a client even comes across us accidentally, we are supposed to bow and back out of the room without making eye-contact.”</p><p>“Your mom said they made you a job-offer.” Robby said, confused.</p><p>“Which starts after I finish college.” Miguel replied.</p><p>Ofcourse this wasn’t going to work. What was Robby thinking? He wasn’t a guy who could dream big and make it a reality. He should just stay in his lane, keep his head down and do as Mr. LaRusso told him. That was good enough, right?</p><p>“Sorry I wasted your time.” Robby said, dejected, picking up the papers.</p><p>But Miguel held on to them, pulling them out of Robby’s grasp.</p><p>“It’s still interesting.” He said, looking through them again. “Okay, so maybe I can’t make heads or tails of this crap but I can probably find someone who can.”</p><p>“Yeah?” Robby asked, sitting down.</p><p>Miguel was lost in thought for a while, eyes darting along the ceiling as if the answer was written there.</p><p>“Okay, maybe we could make this work.” He said finally. “Make a project out of this.”</p><p>“We?”</p><p>“I know some guys in business studies.” Miguel explained. “Think one of them can help us make a proper proposal. And I can help with the presentation. I don’t know shit about business, but the font and the graphs here are just ugly.”</p><p>Robby brightened for a moment and then felt down again. This wasn’t how he wanted to do this. He wanted to do the work himself to prove himself. He couldn’t dump it all on others.</p><p>“Dude, don’t be so stingy.” Miguel said when Robby told him.</p><p><em>Stingy? </em>“I really can’t pay you for this.” He said.</p><p>“That’s not what I mean.” Miguel corrected. “This could be a good thing for a bunch of people. I get to practice my design skills and learn something about business. And sure, if something comes out of this, I can ask around at my agency. I mean, you said you'd need advertising, right? Bet that would impress some people. And someone else gets to practice what they actually learn here. And if we make a project out of this, bet that would be worth an extra-credit or two. Definitely worth a mention on a job-application.”</p><p>“But if you guys end up doing all the work, what am I supposed to do?” Robby asked, perplexed.</p><p>“You are the one doing all the work, dumbass.” Miguel replied, waving the papers. “It's your idea and you know the business. We are gonna need to know a bunch of crap about LaRusso Auto to make this work. Who the fuck do you think is gonna get all that?”</p><p>“Oh.” Robby said, thinking about it. But it still felt wrong to him, somehow. “Are you sure that’s okay?”</p><p>“That’s how things work, right?” Miguel shrugged. “You can’t do all the shit on your own. I mean, even Mr. LaRusso needs help running the business, right?”</p><p>That <em>was</em> true. Sure Mr. LaRusso was amazing running everything, but Amanda kind of handled the financials and the big-picture over there.</p><p>“Okay.” Robby nodded, awkwardly before getting up to go. “So I guess I should leave that with you.”</p><p>Miguel nodded distractedly, looking at the papers again.</p><p> </p><p>Robby was almost out of the door before he spoke up again.</p><p>“I think you should go to business school.” He said, kind of sullenly. “Looks like you’ll be good at it.”</p><p>Robby scoffed. “Really? After seeing that shit?”</p><p>“I don’t know.” Miguel mused. “I don’t get it all, but there does seem to be some kind of logic here. I mean, it doesn’t look like you just pasted if off the internet. More like you got the info and applied it to LaRusso Auto. Unless there already was a paper on LaRusso Auto online.”</p><p>Robby shook his head. He had done the work. He had spent the whole week staying up all hours and doing the research. Not that it meant much.</p><p>“I think… you have potential for this.” Miguel said with some difficulty.</p><p>“You sound like my dad.” Robby said, derisively. “Or Mr. LaRusso. ‘You have so much potential Robby.’ ‘You are wasting your time Robby.’”</p><p>“Maybe they have a point.” Miguel shrugged.</p><p>“Dude, I never even went to college.” Robby said. “It’s too late for all that.”</p><p>“I don’t think so.” Miguel said. “I think you can get in without a college degree. And all the work you did for Mr. LaRusso has to count for something. I’ll find out more about it.”</p><p>Okay, Robby was a little touched at that. Even though he was sure it’d amount to nothing.</p><p>“Why would you that for me?”</p><p>“Call it payback.” Miguel grinned. “For bailing my ass out of trouble.”</p><p><em>That’s stupid. </em>“You already paid me back for that.” Robby said. “Every dime.”</p><p>“I paid back the money.” Miguel said. “Didn’t pay you back for all the trouble you went through.”</p><p>Robby wasn’t sure how to respond to that. So Miguel smirked at him.</p><p>“Don’t worry. I’ll send you the itemized receipt.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a stupid idea. A foolishness born of an overindulgence in alcohol. A night’s child that should’ve been aborted in the morning.</p><p>It was Demetri’s fault, ofcourse. Him and his stupid new job. His stupid, annoying <em>extremely high-paying </em>job that made everyone turn green with envy. They should all have been happy for him. That’s what friends did, right? He’d had this plan since high-school, he’d worked his ass off for it, he’d done everything right, taken all the right courses and internships and sucked up to all the right professors. And he’d finally gotten what he’d always wanted and they should’ve all been happy for him.</p><p>But he made it so goddamn hard. Inviting all your high-school friends to a party – including the ones that hadn’t liked you much back then? That was just rubbing it in their faces, right? Like, why else would he be hitting on Yasmine all night?</p><p>And all his talk about synergy and soulmates and people meant to be together – that’s what had gotten the ball rolling. Everyone would’ve been just fine bitching about their jobs and relationships – about the long hours, the low pays, the feeling of being stifled, of being stuck – that’s just what twenty-something people did. There was no need to take it any further.</p><p>Robby and Miguel had ended up ignoring their dates and spending most of the night talking to each-other. About work, about life, about relationships, about future – about everything. Then they had Ubered to Miguel’s new apartment, since it was closer and talked more into the night. Things went back and forth, until they became more and more personal. More intimate.</p><hr/><p> </p><p>And the next morning, they both felt ashamed of themselves. As awkward as two strangers after a drunken hookup. That’s what last night had been – a drunken mistake.</p><p>“So… about last night…” Miguel started.</p><p>“That was a mistake.” Robby said. “It can’t happen.”</p><p>“Yeah.” Miguel agreed. “Doesn’t mean anything.”</p><p>They sat in silence, drinking their morning coffee.</p><p> </p><p>“We’d probably have to move in together, if we do this.” Robby said. “Just imagine how that would work.”</p><p>“We’d end up killing each-other in a week.” Miguel nodded. “Not worth it.”</p><p>They both went quiet again, minds reflecting back on the events of last night.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s wrong.” Miguel said firmly. “It’s selfish and it’s wrong on a fundamental level. My mom expects certain things from me. For my life. And if this fails, if it ends in the crapper, it could ruin everything. I can’t do that to her.”</p><p>“Yes, ofcourse.” Robby agreed. “They all deserve better from us. From me. They’ve put so much trust in me. This would be like I’m betraying them.”</p><p>They were agreeing. Both of them were in complete agreement that this could not happen. So why exactly were they still debating this? Because neither of them could deny the need they felt.</p><p> </p><p>“I want this though.” Miguel was the first to admit. “I want it so bad. You do too, right?”</p><p>Robby nodded. “You deserve it too.” He said. “And you should have it. But with someone else. Someone better.”</p><p>“I can’t think of anyone better.” Miguel replied. “If it’s not with you then I’d rather not have it at all.”</p><p>“No, don’t do that.” Robby said despairing. “Look, I know you are not happy. She doesn’t appreciate you like you deserve. And you deserve more.”</p><p>“So do you.” Miguel said. “Guys our age shouldn’t be tied down like that. Not like you are.”</p><p> </p><p>They looked at each-other, eyes full of fear and expectation.</p><p>“So we are doing this then?” Robby asked, scared. “We are going into business together?”</p><p>“We are opening an ad agency together.” Miguel nodded, equally scared. “We’ll need a business plan – something for investors. Find some office space. And maybe… some clients? They taught you how to schmooze people in business school, right?”</p><p>“Yeah.” Robby said numbly. “We had a whole course on schmoozing. What about you? Can you get more guys on board. You can’t be the only one who hates your bitch of a boss?”</p><p>Miguel nodded.</p><p>“You know it’ll be hell, right?” Miguel said. “We’ll have to do a lot more work than we are doing right now. And for even less money in the start. We can say goodbye to any personal life.”</p><p>“And most start-ups fail anyway.” Robby agreed. “What the hell are we thinking? This is never going to work.”</p><hr/><p> </p><p>“Ofcourse it’s going to work.” Sam said flippantly, not even looking up from her phone. “Just come up with a plan and I’ll handle all the legal leg-work.”</p><p>“Would you…?” Miguel paused, looking at Robby for approval. He got it. “Would you like to partner up with us?”</p><p>She looked up from her phone then.</p><p>“And ditch my cushy job with stable working hours for a startup that’s doomed?” She raised her eyebrows. “No thank-you.”</p><p>“You just said it’s gonna work.” Robby said, squinting at her.</p><p>“I’m just trying to get you guys as my clients.” Sam smirked. “Look, just come up with a plan and we can figure it out. And because it’s you two, I’ll give you the first month for free. You can’t afford me right now anyway.”</p><hr/><p> </p><p>They took it as badly as expected. All three of them, staring at the boys with stunned faces and wide fearful eyes.</p><p>“Honey, are you sure?” Carmen asked, worried. “You just started your new job. Shouldn’t you give it more time? See if it works out instead of jumping into something this risky?”</p><p>“What about the new showroom?” Daniel asked, concerned. “Your motorcycle plan is finally starting to turn a profit. Don’t you want to reap the rewards? That project was your baby.”</p><p>“But it’s the two of you.” Johnny said dumbfounded. “You two never got along. This sounds as crazy as… as me and LaRusso running a dojo together.”</p><p>“Johnny’s right.” Daniel agreed. “Robby, listen. I know you think selling cars means you know how to sell things. But running an ad agency is a whole different kind of beast.”</p><p>“And Miguel, you don’t know anything about running a business.” Carmen added. “Don’t you need special training for that? It won’t be like opening a shop or running a dojo. No offence, Johnny.”</p><p>“None taken.” Johnny nodded. “Running a dojo is hard enough – with all the forms and taxes and permits. Running something like an ad-agency… Why would you put yourself through that?”</p><p>“You are so young…”</p><p>“You are not ready…”</p><p>“You need to learn more about this stuff…”</p><p>“If this fails…”</p><p>“Think about your future…”</p><p>“Dreaming big is great, but you need to be realistic…”</p><p>“You already have so much going for you…”</p><p>“Why take the risk?...”</p><p> </p><p>“Would you stop it?” Robby yelled, annoyed. “Miguel’s not a child anymore, okay? He has been working in ads for three years. He knows the industry, how things are done, what the clients are gonna expect. And he can handle all the technical stuff. He knows what he is doing.”</p><p>“Yeah.” Miguel agreed, angrily. “And Robby is great at running a business. He is great at figuring out what needs to be done and how to handle things. You guys already know that because he has been handling those things at Mr. LaRusso’s for years. So would you just, for once, believe in him?”</p><p>“Yeah, would you guys just believe in us?”</p><p> </p><p>They were both awkward all of a sudden. Embarrassed. Thinking the same thing.</p><p>
  <em>Us? When did we become an “us”?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It was always you vs me with us. Captains of opposing teams trying to pull the best players to our side. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>How the hell did we end up on the same team?</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>END.</p>
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